Updated: Power Minister suspends NBET boss

The federal government, Tuesday, set up a five-man committee to investigate the myriads of complaints against the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company (NBET), Dr. Marilyn Amobi.

To this end, the Minister of Power, Mr Sale Mamman, has ordered the immediate step-down of Dr Amobi.

Dr Amobi was enmeshed in series of allegations the latest being the petition against her by the management of the agency over alleged threat of physical assault on a senior member of staff.

The management staff of the agency in a petition dated December 10, 2019, petitioned the federal government over the alleged threat of physical attack by Dr Amobi to the agency’s Head of Corporate Services, Ms Itohan Ehiede.

The concerned management staff in the petition sent to the Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, his finance, budget and national planning counterpart, Zainab Ahmedwho is the chairman of NBET Board of Directors, and the Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Professor James Momoh, said if the petition is not urgently considered, Dr. Amobi may carry out her threat of physical attack on the member of staff of the organisation.

 The  petition’s copy which was obtained by Blueprint in Abuja, was signed  by the General Manager, Legal/ General Counsel and Company Secretary, Nnaemaka Ewelukwa; General Manager, Projects and Research, Abba Aliyu and Deputy General Manager, Financial Controller, Johnson Akinnawo.

Other signatories are the Deputy General Manager/ Head, Corporate Services, Itohan Ehiede; Deputy General Manager, Deputy General Counsel, Eugene Edeoga; and Assistant General Manager, Risk and Guarantees, Demvihin Tsumba.

But the minister in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Communication, Mr Aaron Artimas, said his action was continuation of the reorganisation/sanitation in the ministry.

He said the minister directed that the decision should take effect immediately.

“‘In view of this, the minister has also directed the constitution of a five-man investigative committee to look into the myriads of complaints against the MD/CEO

“This is with the view to restoring sanity in the management of the company. Consequently, she is to handover to the most senior director in the organisation, ‘’ he said.

Earlier in the day, the minister had ordered the suspension of the Managing Director of Rural Electrification, Ms Damilola Ogunbiyi.

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